Morning Brief

Date/Time Stamp: Friday, September 18, 2015 - 0700 hrs.

Activity Summary
In the Northwest:

Scattered precipitation across the geographic area with some lightning strikes in Southeastern Washington and far Eastern Oregon. No IA activity with minimal growth on existing large fires. Type 2 OR Team 1 (Sheldon) short team ordered to replace WA Team 1 (Ciraulo) on Kettle Complex.

Preparedness Levels

Current:

Northwest	3 (no change)
National	3 (no change)

Northwest PL Forecast:

3	2	1
3-day	10-day	30-day

Northwest Fire Activity

Large Fire Summary

New large fires: 0

Large fires contained: 2

Uncontained large fires: 13 (OR: 4, WA: 9)

New Fires and Acres: 0 fires for 0 acres
(36 acres growth on existing large fires)
OR: 0 fires for 0 acres
WA: 0 fires for 0 acres

Northwest IMT Activity

NIMOs committed: 0
Type 1 IMTs committed: 2
Type 2 IMTs committed: 6

National Fire Activity

Initial attack activity: Light (38 new fires)
New large incidents: 1
Large fires contained: 2
Uncontained large fires: 21

National IMT Activity

Area Command Teams committed: 0
NIMOs committed: 1
Type 1 IMTs committed: 5
Type 2 IMTs committed: 9

Current Incident Details

Incidents not Previously-Reported: 0

Incidents Previously-Reported: 15

Dry Gulch OR-972S-001159. IMT1. ODF Team 3 (Smith). 7 miles NW of Richland, OR. Start 9/12. Full Suppression. Brush and timber. Cause: Unknown. 17,823 acres (+23). 65% containment. Minimal fire behavior with smoldering. Residences, outbuildings, cell tower, high tension powerline and grazing land threatened. FMAG approved (9/14). Conflagration Act invoked (9/14). Transition to IMT3 scheduled today.

North Star WA-COA-000157. IMT1. CA Team 1 (McGowan). 5 miles E of Omak, WA. Start 8/13. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Human. 217,614 acres (+13). 85% containment. Minimal fire behavior with smoldering and creeping. Evacuation notices in effect. Road and area closures in effect. Fire Mobilization authorized (8/19). CA Team 1 (McGowan) managing Tunk Block and North Star.

Tunk Block WA-NES-001219. IMT1. CA Team 1 (McGowan). 3 miles E of Omak, WA. Start 8/14. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Unknown. 165,918 acres (-1,922). 92% containment. Minimal fire behavior with creeping and smoldering. Residences and structures destroyed. Road and area closures in effect. Evacuation notices in effect. Fire Mobilization authorized (8/19). Reduction in acreage due to more accurate mapping. CA Team 1 (McGowan) managing Tunk Block and North Star.

Okanogan Complex (2 fires) WA-NES-001203. IMT2. WA Team 5 (Leitch). 13 miles NW of Omak, WA. Start 8/14. Full Suppression (all fires in complex). Timber and brush. Cause: Lightning. 133,142 acres (+0). 95% containment. Minimal fire behavior with backing, creeping and smoldering. Residences and structures destroyed. Road, trail and area closures in effect. Evacuation notices in effect. FMAG approved (8/15). WA Team 5 (Leitch) will take command of the Chelan Complex from WA Team 3 (Allbee) on 9/19.

Includes two merged fires: Beaver Lake (WA-OWF-000671). 25,956 acres. Lime Belt (WA-OWF-000657). 107,186 acres.

Chelan Complex (5 fires) WA-SES-000701. IMT2. WA Team 3 (Allbee). 1 mile S of Chelan, WA. Start 8/14. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Unknown. 88,985 acres (+0). 98% containment. Minimal fire behavior with backing, creeping and smoldering. Residences and structures destroyed. Residences, T&E fisheries, natural habitat, commercial timber and private grazing allotments threatened. Road and trail closures in effect. FMAG approved (8/15). WA Team 5 (Leitch) will take command of the Chelan Complex from WA Team 3 (Allbee) on 9/19.

Includes five merged fires; Reach (WA-SPD-000651); McFarland Creek (WA-OWF-000669); Cagle (WA-SES-000655); Antoine Creek (WA-OWF-000654); Black Canyon (WA-OWF-000663).

Meeks Table WA-OWF-000784. IMT2. WA Team 4 (Gales). 14 miles NW of Naches, WA. Start 9/12. Confine/Full Suppression. Timber. 1,024 acres (+0). 25% containment. Minimal fire behavior with smoldering, creeping and torching. Residences, structures, natural resources and T&E species threatened. Road closures in effect.

Kettle Complex (4 fires) WA-COF-001264. IMT2. WA Team 1 (Ciraulo). 26 miles NW of Colville, WA. Start 8/11. Full Suppression (all fires in complex). Timber. Cause: Lightning. 76,549 acres (+0). 72% containment. Minimal fire behavior with smoldering, creeping and backing. Road, trail and area closures in effect. Evacuation notices in effect. Type 2 OR Team 1 (Sheldon) short team ordered. Tentative transition with WA Team 1 (Ciraulo) on 9/20.

Includes four fires: Graves Mountain (WA-COF-001196). 8,593 acres. 79% containment; Stickpin (WA-COF-001111). 53,925 acres. 69% containment.Renner (WA-COF-001202). 13,799 acres. 79% containment. North Boulder 2 (WA-COF-000867). 232 acres. 100% containment.

Wolverine WA-OWF-000287. IMT2. WA Team 2 (Rabe). 3 miles NW of Lucerne, WA. Start 6/29. Point Zone Protection/Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Lightning. 65,512 acres (+0). 35% containment. Minimal fire behavior with smoldering and creeping. Residences and structures destroyed. Road, trail and area closures in effect. WA Team 2 (Rabe) currently managing Wolverine and First Creek.

First Creek WA-OWF-000650. IMT2. WA Team 2 (Rabe). 8 miles NW of Chelan, WA. Start 8/14. Full Suppression. Grass and timber. Cause: Lightning. 7,490 acres (+0). 97% containment. Minimal fire behavior with smoldering. Residences and structures destroyed. WA Team 2 (Rabe) currently managing Wolverine and First Creek.

National Creek Complex (2 fires) OR-RSF-000836. IMT3. 10 miles SW of Diamond Lake, OR. Start 8/1. Full Suppression (all fires in complex). Timber. Cause: Lightning. 20,945 acres (+0). 85% containment. Minimal fire behavior with smoldering. Road, area and trail closures in effect.

Includes two merged fires: Crescent (OR-CLP-000405). 20,825 acres (+0); National (OR-RSF-000787). 120 acres (+0).

Canyon Creek Complex (3 fires) OR-MAF-015192. IMT3. 7 miles N of Seneca, OR. Start 8/12. Full Suppression (all fires in complex). Timber and grass. Cause: Lightning. 110,422 acres (+0). 90% containment. Minimal fire behavior with smoldering. Residences and structures destroyed. Residences, critical habitat, watershed and wilderness threatened. Road, trail and area closures in effect. FMAG approved (8/15). No new information.

Includes 3 fires. Berry Creek merged with Mason Spring: Berry Creek (OR-MAF-015271). 100 acres; Mason Spring (OR-MAF-0152270). 110,161 acres;Jerrys Draw (OR-952S-015306). 161 acres.

Grizzly Bear Complex OR-UMF-000947. IMT3. 20 miles SE of Dayton, WA. Start 8/13. Monitor/Confine/Point Zone Protection/Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Lightning. 79,374 acres (+0). 44% containment. Moderate fire behavior with smoldering, creeping and isolated torching. Residences, T&E species habitat, recreational facilities, and natural resources threatened. Road, trail and area closures in effect. This complex contains 17 fires (varying sizes, some have merged). FMAG approved (8/21). No new information.

Horsethief Butte WA-SES-000789. IMT4. 4 miles W of Wishram, WA. Start 9/13. Full Suppression. Grass. Cause: Unknown. 7,960 acres (+0). 95% containment. Minimal fire behavior. FMAG approved (9/14). Transitioned to local unit 9/15. No new information. Last report on morning briefing unless significant activity occurs.

Carpenter Rd. WA-SPA-000046. IMT3. 35 miles NW of Spokane, WA. Start 8/14. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Human. 63,972 acres (+0). 100% containment. Minimal fire behavior with smoldering. Residences and structures destroyed. Area restrictions in effect. Transition to local unit scheduled on 9/20. Last report on morning briefing unless significant activity occurs.

County Line 2 OR-WSA-000060. IMT5. 15 miles NW of Madras, OR. Start 8/12. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Unknown. 67,207 acres (+0). 100% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Residences and structures destroyed. Minimal resources assigned. Last report on morning briefing unless significant activity occurs.

NW Fires Utilizing Monitor, Confine, Point Zone Protection Suppression Strategies (YTD) (link)

Lists fires (of any size) that singly utilize Monitor, Confine, or Point Zone Protection suppression strategies, or use Multiple Suppression Strategies (which may also include a Full Suppression component).

Northwest Fire Potential Summary:

High pressure will gradually rebuild over the region today and Saturday. This will lead to clearing and drying on both sides of the Cascades and light general winds. Potential for new large fires is low due to the lack of critical fire weather and diminished fire danger indices. On Sunday, the upper ridge will begin to weaken and a weak cold front will push across the Washington Cascades. This will slightly boost large fire potential over eastern Washington for Sunday.

More info, see NW 7-Day Significant Fire Potential Forecast, and National 7-Day Significant Fire Potential Forecast